Hidden Gems & Small Moments

Yesterday was another episode of "Bonnie & the Endodontist" - something NO ONE (including me) wants to revisit.  

But waiting room time is waiting room time and I took that time to flip through the photos on my phone to organize, file, delete...you get the picture.

And now you get the pictures!

I took these photos of this old lovely abandoned place on the Cinco de Mayo Grand Prix run that Martha and I enjoyed last Thursday.

Side view -

I wish I could rescue and restore them all!  I bet the diamond pattern underneath roof peak was just lovely at one time -

And surely the moss green shutters were the perfect accent to the white outside of the house. 

I can envision gentle breezes wafting curtains from open windows on the inside, letting in the fresh spring air and clearing out the last of the closed-up winter stuffiness of fireplace warmed spaces.

As happens all around here - it's the LAND that holds the value, not the dilapidated old farm houses.  The land is still being farmed. 

And I console myself that the land has not been turned over into subdivisions with gated entries and HOAs.  There is that.

This happened last evening upon returning from the endodontist - 

I posted earlier about taking the blinds down and giving them a good power wash.  What I didn't mention is before they were to go back up, the underside where they hang received a new coat of paint.

We are sprucing up for porch season! (And it is supposed to be cold and rainy this weekend, but oh well - eventually it will be porch season!)

The blinds were rehung last night - Today housekeeper Susan comes and we'll spend today and tomorrow getting everything spit spot for the Muddy Creek Misfits arriving on Wednesday.

While flowers for Mother's Day are nice for a few days until they are gone, this kind of help is one that keeps on giving and I am so grateful for even the little things that are done every day to keep this dream of ours running.

Doesn't look like much - but so helpful!

This is the back side of the door to the attic pass-through from the inside of bedroom #5.

Things aren't level - and this door would never stay shut, so there was a slide lock on the other side of the door to keep it closed - 

But it never failed - I'd be on the front side of the house and want to use the pass through to get to the back side through here, but then - the door would be locked on the other side. (Which meant going down one set of stairs, across the whole house, up the back set of stairs to unlock it from the other side.)

A simple door spring solved the problem in 10 minutes.  YAY!

No more need to lock that door, and it will automatically close thanks to the spring.

It really is the simple things in life that make the biggest difference, right?

THIS!

We already talked about not talking about this.

Enough said -

Next up is a crown. UGH.

But this is the best thing from yesterday!

My driveway lilac hedge is finally bursting - and YES - the fragrance is here!

Ready to burst -

There are a few star shaped blossoms visible, but there will be so much more over the next week or so - 

Have you ever had someone contact you about "Where do I start to learn quilting?" and you wished you lived close so you could just SHOW them?

A high school friend of mine (We were in school together 43 years ago!) reached out via Facebook messenger regarding the above string star progress photo and said she wants to make quilts.  She has made over 1500 masks and has lots of scraps.

I suggested she try something simple to begin with - but I'm not sure which pattern to start with.

I thought something with triangles would not be the best thing - so I asked what was the average size of her leftover mask scraps so I can get a feel for what she is working with.

I was thinking of Bitcoin to start with, because as long as her seam allowance is consistent, everything will fall together swimmingly.

And like I said - I wished I lived close (She is in California) so I could just pop by and show her.

Today - Friend Martha is popping by for more Accuquilt strip cutting.

Maymont Sneak Peek!

This little ditty was my last fall project to use up an abundance of short strips and it became a riot of scrappiness - and will be our May '22 PDF Pattern release!

I've named it Maymont  - the name inspired by the100-acre Maymont historic estate and park, located in Richmond, Virginia.

This quilt is kind of laid out like a well planned garden, isn't it?

And maybe once this one is finished being written - it will be just perfect for my friend to start with as it is all easy piecing, no triangles.

Be watching for this pattern release and gift-away to happen on Monday, May 16th!

(Which means I best get busy!)

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

To those who don't understand this passion called quilting, it must seem like a strange thing indeed.⁣

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However, as I follow the pull of my inner voice I know I am on the right path.

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Just direct me to the fabric!